Islam

“If you’re not with them they threaten to kill you”. Sheikh Idris Mohamed, a leading anti-jihadi imam in Kenya’s second city of Mombasa, was not afraid to speak out.

Two and a half weeks ago, I met him when he gave an interview to the Financial Times in his dishevelled home to talk about the radicalisation of Mombasa. It turned out to be one of his last. On Tuesday, Sheikh Mohamed was killed in a drive-by shooting on leaving his home for morning prayers. He died on his way to hospital.

The sexagenarian preacher, who was the chairman of the Council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya, was one of the most outspoken critics of radical Islam in the country. Last year he was ousted by young worshippers from his mosque in Mombasa, where he had given sermons for more than 30 years. The young congregation later renamed it Mujahideen – those who fight jihad – Mosque. Read more

♦ The conflict in South Sudan has exposed the naivety of those self-appointed cheerleaders of southern independence abroad, who argued that all other issues were secondary to sovereignty, says the FT’s William Wallis.
♦ It’s time to think more about Sarajevo and less about Munich when it comes to international affairs, argues Gideon Rachman.
♦ The New York Times looks at how Palestinians find fun and escape while facing everyday life in the Israeli-controlled West Bank and the Hamas-controlled Gaza.
♦ Germany is addressing the issue of integration and equality for its large Muslim population – state schools are offering classes on Islam in a bid to quell the radicalisation of Muslims and prejudice among non-Muslims. Read more

The World

with Gideon Rachman

Gideon became chief foreign affairs columnist for the Financial Times in July 2006. He joined the FT after a 15-year career at The Economist, which included spells as a foreign correspondent in Brussels, Washington and Bangkok. He also edited The Economist’s business and Asia sections.

His particular interests include American foreign policy, the European Union and globalisation